Restrict the processing of your personal data
As a citizen of the European Union, you can request from any entity that stores and processes personal data about you that your data may only be stored, but no longer processed.
Personal data includes, for example:
- Online data, such as IP address, location data, email address
- Bank details, such as account balances, account numbers
- Identification numbers, such as ID card number or social security number
- Land Registry Entries
- Health information, such as genetic data, medical data
- Testimonies
- general personal data, such as name, address, age, marital status
- physical characteristics, such as gender, skin, hair or eye color, height
With your right to restriction of processing, you can prevent your personal data from continuing to be processed electronically for the time being. As soon as the rights of the data processor have expired, your data will be permanently deleted. You can only invoke your right to restriction of processing under certain conditions.
You can assert the right to restriction of processing vis-à-vis public and non-public bodies. Public bodies are, for example, public authorities, non-public bodies are, for example, commercial enterprises, associations or clubs.
You must request the restriction of the processing of your personal data directly from the relevant public or non-public body.
- Copy of your identity card
- Alternatively: Copy of your passport in conjunction with a copy of your registration certificate
You may request the restriction of processing of your personal data if:
- you have requested the rectification of incorrect data and the data processor is examining this request,
- you have objected to the processing and it still needs to be checked whether the interest of the data processor may not prevail,
- you explicitly request the restriction instead of deletion, or
- the data processor no longer needs your data, but it still wants to use it for its own purposes.
You cannot have the processing of your personal data restricted if it is processed:
- for archival purposes which are in the public interest and which would be seriously affected by the restriction,
- for research, science or statistics, insofar as the original purpose would no longer be achieved or would be seriously impaired by the restriction of processing.
You don't have to pay anything.
You can request the restriction of the processing of your personal data stored online or in writing by post.
Request restriction of processing of your personal data online:
- Access the online application form on the Federal Portal verwaltung.bund.de. This will guide you step by step through the necessary information, which you can enter electronically.
- Note: For the online application, you need an electronic identification document, for example the online function of your identity card.
- Upload the required documents as a file (in PDF, DOC, JPEG, PNG file formats, maximum 10 megabytes per file) and submit the application. Alternatively, you can submit the required documents by post.
- The public authority will usually send you the corresponding answer by post to your registered address or, in some cases, by e-mail.
Request restriction of processing of your personal data in writing:
- You can submit your application informally.
- Send your application with the required documents by post to the public body.
- The public authority will send you the corresponding answer by post to your registered address.
The processing of your personal data must be stopped immediately, i.e. without undue delay on the part of the entity processing the data. As a general rule, you must be informed of the measures taken no later than 1 month after you have requested the restriction. If this is not possible, you must be informed of the reasons for the delay and the extended deadline.
You don't have to observe any deadlines.
There are no generally applicable remedies.
Forms: no
Online procedure possible: yes
Written form required: no
Personal appearance required: no
Confidence level: low
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community
17.09.2021
